All I Ever Wanted Was the World

chapter 31

Malfoy Manor was not the home that Draco grew up in.
The war was going by fast, much faster than anyone had ever anticipated it to go. Harry had disappeared and, as Draco had heard, was on the run.
Probably with the boy he had seen him with.

He felt the flames of jealousy lick at his stomach at the thought of him, of how close they had had to have been underneath the cloak and to travel around while avoiding Volde-
He took a breath, urging himself to control his emotions.
He felt sick at the thought and settled for sitting on his bed, looking down at the floor of his bedroom.

He was back at manor after being told that important things were going to happen, though what those important things were, he could not say. He was uninformed and in the dark as usual, but he knew it wasn't something good.
Draco had been pulled from Hogwarts not too long ago, and so his room was a mess of his trunk and items strewn from the hasty escape out of the castle that would soon be a battleground.
He felt guilty.

Not only did he not do anything to prevent Voldemort from acting out, but he definitely wasn't helping Harry at the moment.
He tried not to think about how it should've been him with Harry, not whoever that boy was. How it should've been him who held him and made sure he was okay, should've been him to go runaway with him.

Draco let out a frustrated growl and rose to his feet before feeling a shake within the manor that could only be caused by the excessive amount of people apparating within the wards.
He heard laughters and cheers explode from beneath his feet, and he suddenly felt the cold chill deep into his bones.
This couldn't be possible.
Quietly, he began to open his door and head to the staircase, making no noise as he approached the origin of the loud sounds of joy.
He made his way down the stairs, his hand gripping the banister tightly as his footfalls barely made a sound.

"... and he has finally perished! The body of the boy lies before us, and, as evidence to the fulfilled prophecy...Narcissa..."

The high voice was eerily loud as the cheering faded, and the hisses made Draco cringe in fear as he held tightly to the banister.
His mother?

He paused and covered his mouth, the fear that his mother might be killed settling in.
The blond quickly descended the steps and entered the main hall, easily blending in with the crowd of Death Eaters in all black robes while he was dressed in a black suit.

He peered through the crowd and saw it then.
Harry lay on the floor unmoving, his face pale and limbs splayed.
His eyes were half opened and looked at the ceiling blankly, as if the boy wasn't alive.
Draco covered his mouth and choked back a scream as he realized that it wasn't that Harry seemed dead.
He was dead.

Bile rose in his throat and he stood still, his eyes wide...though he couldn't seem to draw himself away from the sight.
Even in death, he was beautifully ethereal.
His black, unruly hair framed his pale face, and a painfully gentle expression was upon his face, as if he had not fought death itself.
As if he had welcomed it.
His bent glasses stood out against his face, the crooked frames practically staring at the blonde.
Draco clutched onto himself, barely taking any notice as his mother came forward and kneeled by the still body of Harry Potter.
"His diagnostics, Nacrissa?"

She was nearly emotionless as she looked at Voldemort and nodded her head.
"Of course, My Lord."
She made her way over to the unmoving body of Harry Potter, her heeled shoes clacking against the ground as the noise resounded through the silent room.
Everyone watched with bated breath as she kneeled by the boy and waved her wand, the magic washing over him.
All eyes were on him, and Draco averted his gaze.

Harry took in a sharp breath and quickly sat up, gasping for air as he clutched at his chest.
It was painful to breath, and he could feel the sharp pains bloom from between his ribs.
He steadied his breathing and, with a wince, stood on his feet.
He wasn't alive, was he?
He recalled the flash of light that had come from Voldemort, the bright burst of green that had surged towards and struck him.